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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) vs Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) ($772) vs Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1) ($350) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right ultraportable laptop.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) | Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $772 | $350 |
| Weight | 1240g | 1400g |
| Chip | M3 | M1 |
| Display | 13.6" Liquid Retina | 13.3" Retina |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone | 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Cooling | Fanless | Active fan |
| Displays | Two external with lid closed | — |
| Weight | 1240g (Apple published) | 1400g (Apple published) |
| Extras | — | Touch Bar, Touch ID |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
- Two external displays, which the M2 could not do
- Faster chip in the same 1240g body
- Fanless and silent
- Better SSD than the base M2
- Marginal gain over an M2 for most tasks
- 8GB base memory again
- Still throttles under long exports
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1)
- Sustains performance under long workloads
- Longest battery life of the M1 generation
- Touch ID
- 1400g for a 13.3-inch machine
- Only two ports, no MagSafe
- Touch Bar
- Old design with thick bezels
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1) is the better value at $350. If weight matters most, Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) carries lighter at 1240g. Both are part of our curated ultraportable laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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